Oakland, California
Warm and Sunny
September, 2019
How to Stay Sane in the Age of Destruction
I recently returned from a family reunion in Rocky Mountain National Park where the breathtaking mountain vistas were laced with patches of snow. What inspired me most was watching the rosy fingers of dawn first lighting the mountains and then slowly creeping across the valley where I was staying.
“Yes,” they seemed to say, “the Earth is still spinning, Yes, we are still whirling around the sun. Yes, the subtle, beautiful dawn still comes after the darkness of night.”
And dark the world is. Who can say it is not dark when thousands of children are sentenced to a lifetime of misery? Who can say it is not dark when technological mania is overruling the bounds of common sense?
The healing science of Ayurveda talks about the pairs of opposites, but, in reality, there are no opposites. There are only sliding scales, one of which is dark to light. We are certainly at the dark end of the dark/light continuum, but we must not make the mistake of assuming that there is no light end. Similarly, we must not refuse to see the darkness and focus only on our own happiness when we are at the light end.
The Tao symbol says it: in the darkness is a germ of light and in the light a germ of darkness. 
The circle of the Tao rolls on through eternity, sometimes bringing light, love, and joy, and sometimes bringing, war, death, and horror. Neither is permanent.
Our job is to see the whole spectrum: when in darkness, breathe in the freshness of dawn, and when in the light of love and energy, extend compassion and awareness to those who are struggling in darkness.
Kali yuga, the Age of Destruction, is a time of darkness, but we can remain sane by keeping our awareness of both ends of the dark/light spectrum.
Looking toward the Light,
Dorothy
Recommended Reading: “Spontaneous Evolution” – Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman
Recent movie: “Honeyland”, winner best international documentary, Sundance Festival
I invite you to visit the Facebook page of my mentor, Rahul Patel
https://bit.ly/2lCnGPG
Thanks for this, Dorothy! I’m reminded that creation-destruction-creation is the essential process by which life unfolds. “Destruction” can mean a lot of things, however, not all of them horrible. But it does mean that something that exists becomes non-existent. It may just fade quietly, or end with spectacular violence, or somewhere in between. But end it must in order for the new to come into existence. When we view destruction as a bad thing, we get stuck in it. All we see in the world is destruction, so life looks bleak (“…nasty, brutish and short” Thomas Hobbs). When we can see its relationship to creation, however, then we are seeing the essence of life and can experience its exquisite intelligence and beauty. We can also begin to see that destruction doesn’t have to be violent and traumatic. When we see it as part of a larger process then new possibilities open up. This is the joyful conscious participation in the unfolding of life. As you say, our job is to see the whole spectrum and to embrace it. Thanks for this post!